PhD studentship on novel opaque scintillator detector R&D and neutrino physics (2024)
Applications are invited from talented, creative, and motivated students for a PhD place in Experimental Particle Physics to join the Sussex group working on novel opaque scintillator detector R&D and neutrino physics under the supervision of Prof Jeff Hartnell.
What you get
Funding is available for a September 2024 start which includes a tax-free bursary (£18,662 per annum in 2023/24) and fully paid (at the Home student level) tuition fees for 3.5 years. Additional financial support is provided to cover short-term and long-term travel.
Type of award
PhD Studentship
PhD project
You will have the opportunity to work on the exciting and counter-intuitive idea of using opaque scintillators as particle detectors. Traditionally, light travels through a transparent scintillator to a photosensor. Our approach, called LiquidO, embeds a lattice of optical fibres in an opaque scintillator with a short scattering length. The scintillation photons are stochastically confined close to the point of production via scattering and extracted by the fibres, removing the need for manual segmentation to create high-resolution imaging detectors. There are many applications in particle physics and beyond. Further information can be found here: https://youtu.be/Ccc3ecIoowk.
You will join one of the largest groups developing this technology world-wide. Prof Jeff Hartnell co-leads the CLOUD neutrino experiment, which will deploy a 10-ton LiquidO detector 35 metres from Europe’s most powerful nuclear reactor cores at Chooz in France on the timescale of this studentship. The Sussex group also has a strong programme of in-house prototype development, construction, operation and analysis as well as characterisation of different scintillators and fibres.
This project also includes the opportunity to spend an extended period working overseas.
UK students are eligible for home tuition fees, as are EU students with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme. Outstanding students not eligible for home fees may be considered for a partial tuition fee waiver above that level.
For practical questions about applications and/or eligibility for funding, please contact mps-pgrsupport@sussex.ac.uk
For academic questions please contact the coordinator of EPP PhD admissions, Dr Elisabeth Falk: E.Falk@sussex.ac.uk
Timetable
Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be held in February and March initially and will continue until positions are filled. Applications from self-funded students interested in available projects are also welcome at any time of the year.
Availability
At level(s):
PG (research)
Application deadline:
2 February 2024 23:45 (GMT)
Countries
The award is available to people from these specific countries: